Trophy joy for Centurions

Leigh were presented with the league leaders’ shield after completing their regular season with a 66-10 rout of Doncaster in a bottom-against-top clash at the Leigh Sports Village.

Winger Liam Kay, the league’s leading tryscorer, touched down five times, Greg McNally got two and other tries came from Adam Higson, Ryan Brierley, Gareth Hock, Ben Reynolds and Martyn Ridyard, who also kicked nine goals for a personal haul of 22 points.

Threequarters Liam Welham and Peter Fox scored tries for a well-beaten Doncaster side who felt the full might of a team which suffered just one defeat all season.

Rugby Football League chairman Brian Barwick said: “Paul Rowley’s men have proved themselves to be a formidable team, both in the league and the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup, and they will now go forward into the next stage of their campaign confident they can continue that run of form.

“Congratulations also to Bradford Bulls, Sheffield Eagles and Halifax who will join Leigh in The Qualifiers along with their First Utility Super League rivals. It promises to be a fantastic set of matches.”

Halifax snatched a famous victory over Bradford in front of a crowd of 4,589 at the Shay to end their Kingstone Press Championship campaign in style.

With the scores locked at 16-16 and with three minutes left on the clock, Halifax centre Steve Tyrer scooped up a loose ball on half way and raced away to score by the posts and seal a 20-16 win, their ninth in a row, to ensure his side enter the Super 8s on a high.

Halifax had led 14-0 at half-time thanks to tries from Mitch Cahalane and Ben Heaton but the Bulls roared back to take the lead through Jay Pitts, Adam Henry and Omari Caro.

Halifax were forced to settle for a fourth-placed finish after Sheffield Eagles’ 22-14 win over London Broncos at The Hive kept them third.

The Eagles trailed 6-0 at half-time but came good after the break, with Ryan Millar scoring two tries and Menzie Yere and Eddie Battye also touching down and Pat Walker kicking three goals.

Wes Naiqama and former Sheffield forward Matt Garside scored tries for the Londoners, with the former kicking three goals.

Dewsbury scored three tries to two against Batley but still lost the Heavy Woollen derby 16-12 after Scott Leatherbarrow kicked four goals for the visitors.

Dalton Grant (two) and Dale Morton got tries for the Rams while Alex Brown and Chris Ulugia were Batley’s tryscorers.

Workington ended the campaign on a high with a 30-6 win over Hunslet the South Leeds Stadium.